3 ms·
tl;dr: Don't by used Android phones from third party resellers. Every one of these was bought used from a third party that installed malware prior to reselling
by JohnTHaller 10y ago
tl;dr: Don't by used Android phones from third party resellers.
Every one of these was bought used from a third party that installed malware prior to reselling. If you buy a new phone from a manufacturer, major retailer, or major carrier, this doesn't apply to you. If you buy a used phone from a trustworthy friend or family member and reset it for use, you're probably cool. If you buy a used phone from someone you don't know/trust online or off, flash it back to factory condition before you use it.
- matt_wulfeck 10y agoYour handwavy fix is almost completely unrelated to the research. These were large companies. They generally always buy phones through third parties. And when work gives you a phone how will you figure out who touched it? Rather than giving people a lengthy and arbitrary list of purchase caveats, why not ask why it's so difficult to secure an android phone through the supply chain? And what, if anything, are other phone manufacturers doing that might be making the problem much more secure?
- deleted 10y ago[deleted]
- codedokode 10y agoAndroid phones can have adware preinstalled, especially the cheap ones from chinese noname brands.